Zemo was one of the Nazi super scientists who created a formula to give him slow aging and retain the height of his strenghts through his older years. Cross Bones is an master marksman, fighter, and pilot who is good enough to go toe to toe with Captain America. So you know what I am talking about. Changing either one of these characters out to be just some one who is "Acting" and can not actually do these things would be a huge let down.

I want to share something my friend and I are discussing earlier today...

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

In the movie, Tony had his arc reactor removed and he destroyed all of his suits, but how about the Extremis Virus? Is is still in his body? Because if it still is then we might get something like this in the future IM film

It's wishful thinking I know but then again who says it's not possible right?

Got my tickets for tomorrow, opening night!
Pretty excited, I haven't read or seen anything besides the trailers and the armor's designs, which is a first for me. I'm usually heavy-spoiled. But not this time!

It's probably too early to say, but this has been receiving overall good reviews so far. So it's nice to see all this hard work by the crew pay off with the overall positive reception so far. Must be a great feeling.

I think it's great story wise but I can't imagine them doing Avengers 2 without Iron Man.

They won't.
Doubt we need to spoiler tag this particular discussion, since it's gone back into the realm of speculation and doesn't really "spoil" anything, and refers to TA2 instead of IM3; but Gwyneth Paltrow stated flatly in an interview yesterday that Marvel and RDJ are already negotiating for TA2 and IM4.

IM is the golden goose, and the flagship of the studio. There is literally no way in hell they're going to kill off or nerf their golden ticket. Worst case scenario, he gets recast, and I'm sure the *****-wagon will catch fire like never before; but Iron Man is their goto guy, and RDJ isn't about to walk away from his gravy train.

one thing i wanted some to think about, is i keep seeing this "mandarin fan club" comment over and over again, as if you need to be a super mandarin fan to not want his character changed. I would say that some people who are iron man fans in general would not want the mandarin's character changed, not because they are necessarily fans of the mandarin, but because they are fans of iron man, and they realize how much of an effect he has had on iron man's life and development in the comic world. I'm a moderate ironman fan, i dropped off when they made him a drunk. I am a huge cap fan though, and i think if they changed the entire character of skull, or zemo, or strucker, or cross bones, or any other villian, to a non powered character and just a facade, then i probably will not be happy with that change, even if it fits well with the story. Even as a moderate fan, i'm not happy with the change. From what i've read from comic fan's who seen it already, is that the mandarin being a silly drunk appears to be just a trick, because the real mandarin is just that good.

How are they going to bring Tony Stark/Iron Man back into the fold after all of this?

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

With them having Tony get the arc reactor out his chest, he's not as defined by it anymore. He's now just Tony Stark. He doesn't have all the mental baggage associated with having the arc reactor serving as a reminder and a shield for his past sins. They're going to have to find a new reason for him to continue as IM. They've basically done the whole Tony Stark character arc in about 4 movies and, in MCU time, about 5 years. Not sure where else they take him.

As for the IM armors, all his suits now have to have their own arc reactors. Really diverges from the comics where he still has a version of the arc reactor in his chest. I sort of think they may now go with his current comic suit, which is a more modular suit that he picks and chooses what goes on it.

I feel like they up Captain Rogers to lead the team in the battle of new york, but i completly agree with you, I think now that other character will be better established by Avengers 2 , that the sequel will feature and put more spot light on the other memebers of the team, I think it would shock the world if Iron-Man didnt return in the next Avengers movies but i think he wont be as featured as he was in th first one. ..I did hear somewhere on here from someone overseass that the ending credits did mention Iron Man would return in the Avengers.

and on an honest note

RDJ and the first iron man ( which i was so agiast seeing and thought was stupid and finally saw on DVD and then smacked myself said what was i thinking ! ) got me into all these comic book characters, and the comics, I really hope disney and marvel do everything in there power to keep RDJ for Avengers 2,3 atleast, if they make IM4 thats great to...I understand evenutally they will have different Tony Stark but I feel like all this build up for the Avengers for RDJ not to stay around and be aware of the big picture is crazy

With them having Tony get the arc reactor out his chest, he's not as defined by it anymore. He's now just Tony Stark. He doesn't have all the mental baggage associated with having the arc reactor serving as a reminder and a shield for his past sins. They're going to have to find a new reason for him to continue as IM. They've basically done the whole Tony Stark character arc in about 4 movies and, in MCU time, about 5 years. Not sure where else they take him.

As for the IM armors, all his suits now have to have their own arc reactors. Really diverges from the comics where he still has a version of the arc reactor in his chest. I sort of think they may now go with his current comic suit, which is a more modular suit that he picks and chooses what goes on it.

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

Well, they've been showing suits with different arc reactors since Iron Man 2. Pretty much all the suits from Iron Man 2 on have had their own arcs. Him remove it is more a character arc thing and not so much about how he can ever be Iron Man again....

They won't.
Doubt we need to spoiler tag this particular discussion, since it's gone back into the realm of speculation and doesn't really "spoil" anything, and refers to TA2 instead of IM3; but Gwyneth Paltrow stated flatly in an interview yesterday that Marvel and RDJ are already negotiating for TA2 and IM4.

IM is the golden goose, and the flagship of the studio. There is literally no way in hell they're going to kill off or nerf their golden ticket. Worst case scenario, he gets recast, and I'm sure the *****-wagon will catch fire like never before; but Iron Man is their goto guy, and RDJ isn't about to walk away from his gravy train.

Recasting could go badly but Avengers 2 is a lock and I have zero doubt that they'll throw enough money his way to bring him back for #4, especially if #3 hits big and I believe it will. Mostly it relies on RDJ and his enthusiasm for playing the same guy again and again.

Eventually, tho, you won't have Downey and at that point I think they'll either give the character a rest for a few years, or recast and risk a bomb.

__________________

"That was the edge Parker had; he knew that survival was more important than heroics. It isn't how you play the game, it's whether you win or lose.”
~ Richard Stark, Deadly Edge

I've long held the belief that RDJ is the glue holding together the future of Iron Man on film. Even after watching film 3 it's hard for to me to imagine any other person being able to slip into that characters shoes and achieve a similar result. As long as RDJ is there the character is a safe bet. The problem is frankly the series lacks villains, every Iron Man bad guy on film has only ever been ok and not all that memorable, Loki was at least an interesting bad guy for Thor and was a great choice for Avengers, but that lack of a colourful baddie means Stark is always going to be the centre of attention and thus a lot of weight is going to be placed on the actor who plays him to carry the film. RDJ can do it, but I'm curious to know the direction Marvel go with the character when he leaves. I'm not so certain even they know what a post RDJ Iron Man will be like. I'd discuss it further but doing so would potentially ruin the new movie for some people.

Iron Man still exists guys. Plus tony picks up a small screw driver at the end, indicating that he is still a guy who builds suits! he also salvages his helper robot.

he has not retired. he is simply over his existential issues concerning whether the suit makes the man, or the man makes the suit.

iron man 3 is great in this respect. tony grows more as a character.

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

Whilst it could be looked in that way the ending to me screams more like someone who's equally done with being a superhero. The fact that super powered being exist and he's aware of it comes across more like someone who is ready to move on and try to make a normal life, it's not unlike TDKR in its finality. I actually think Marvel may have painted themselves into a bit of corner here. To me anyway the arc of the character feels complete.